I am a SSgt who is leaving the army early next year and am seriously considering applying for a NRPS position at the local TA Centre. What I would like to know, without being baffled by Regt Pay Clerk Speak, is if taking on a NRPS position adversley affects my monthly pension or 22 year gratuity in any way. I have heard a couple of different scenario's regarding this. I would nip down to a TA centre and ask one of the NRPS staff in person but am a bit busy re-settling at the moment. Any help or advice on this matter will be very much appreciated. Cheers

Becoming a member of the NRPS does not affect your monthly pension or gratuity in any way what so ever!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOWEVER you should be aware that if selected for the position then you will come under the NRPS 05 contract, this means that you will only get a 5 year contract, after this time your job will be readvertised and you will have to apply for it again, you then may or may not be selected. There is also a visious rumours going around that those on NRPS 05 contracts could be replaced by serving soldiers on continuence.

Banana man is correct NRPS does not affect your pension or gratuity. He is also correct about the 05 contract. The statement about regular soldiers replacing NRPS may happen under the new VENG engagement which is introduced for all soldiers wef Apr 08. You should read the Army Briefing Notice AIN 16-06 and the question and answer Annex which outlines the plans for this new engagement. If you want to know any more feel free to pm me.

All the above is true - it seems the squeeze is on - the VENG will replace NRPS in the fullness of time this is one of its primary aims!! this along with the NRPS 05 contract and us losing RILOR just goes to show that the future is not orange for NRPS!! As per dejay's post feel free to PM for an inside view.

All above correct. On enquiring about the VENG replacing NRPS, was told it will only happen when NRPS sol/off retires, believe it when I see it

Am I the only one who cannot understand the reasoning behind the replacement of NRPS by VENG Regular soldiers? Everything the MoD hasdone in my more than 30 yrs service has been to cut costs. How does replacing an NRPS soldier (who is TA not Regular and not entitled to quarters/removals & other allowances such as BSA) with a Regular save money

All above correct. On enquiring about the VENG replacing NRPS, was told it will only happen when NRPS sol/off retires, believe it when I see it

Am I the only one who cannot understand the reasoning behind the replacement of NRPS by VENG Regular soldiers? Everything the MoD hasdone in my more than 30 yrs service has been to cut costs. How does replacing an NRPS soldier (who is TA not Regular and not entitled to quarters/removals & other allowances such as BSA) with a Regular save money

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It means the Regular soldier is not drawing his pension, or taking his lump sum at the end of his 22.

No need for resettlement grants etc.

Big cost saving for MoD.

It also means you can post him, or have him covering more than one job, pretty much like the Regular Army currently do, and it means you can cover the Southern England jobs that are less popular because of the cost of living in London and the surrounding area, or the jobs in more remote parts of the country.

He can deploy with the unit at the weekend, will have to keep up with MATTs etc, and because he should still be getting the extra X factor unlike NRPS, can be messed around accordingly!

In fairness the AIN does say that a decision will be taken this year on whether to replace NRPS with VENG soldiers but I also believe it WILL happen eventually. In theory it should make no difference to those who are on the "grandfather rights" engagement but for the new 05 enlistments there ROD will be at the 5 year point. So perhaps they will not get the opportunity to apply for their own job in open competition with other personnel as the goals will have been shifted and the posts will only be open to VENG soldiers. On the subject of cost savings they will not have to pay pensions/gratuity to those NRPS who have left the regulars therefore saving some money. Of course the VENG people will also be still subject to Op Tours and all the other stuff that goes with being in the regulars which sort of makes a mockery of the whole ethos behind NRPS. Methinks like others that the days of NRPS are somewhat numbered - by the way I am NRPS myself!

Although you will only be on a 5 year contract what better way to ease the progression from 22yrs in the army to life on civvy strasse than a job in familiar surroundings without any of the uncertainty and instability of home life which is inevitable in the regular forces, whilst being free to put down roots and build a stable home life in an area you think you might like to settle in.

Then after a couple of years and you are sure you like the area you have a further three years to find that more permanent second carreer/ pension top up job.

I asked about advice an NRPS a few months ago and got some +ve & -ve response, i'm after some more advice I am going for an interview in the near future for a post, but am still unclear about what is happening as it is the 05 contract and the introduction of V ENG.Can someone in the know please update me as to what is likely to happen, i keep getting conflicting info depending on who i speak too. Any constructive advice/tips welcomed.

Although you will only be on a 5 year contract what better way to ease the progression from 22yrs in the army to life on civvy strasse than a job in familiar surroundings without any of the uncertainty and instability of home life which is inevitable in the regular forces, whilst being free to put down roots and build a stable home life in an area you think you might like to settle in.

Then after a couple of years and you are sure you like the area you have a further three years to find that more permanent second carreer/ pension top up job.

As far as I am aware no decision has yet been made as to which NRPS posts will be consumed into the VEng, or when it will take place.

I am on NRPS 05 (wef Jun 06) and to be honest I can't see it going any other way than VEng after the five years. I work with three others on the same terms and we all have the same, albeit cynical, view that a soon as the contract is up then so are we.

People on the old contract will remain in situ and be replaced on a waste out basis. Whether or not it will be NRPS 05 or VEng, I believe, will depend on that individuals ROD.

As H_de_T wrote, take it as an opportunity to settle into civvy street and keep looking for any jobs the other side of the fence.

Edite to add:

Good luck with the interview, you could always ask the Board about the future of the post with the forthcoming VEng - and see how much they squirm!

Thanks for the tip,I have lots of reservations as the post is a newly created one my first thought was that it will be NRPS for the first 18 months and hey presto "your redundant".I like the bit about asking the board ,interview is not a couple of weeks but will get back and let you know what the response was.

Do you have a typical re-pressed 'passed over' senior NCO chip on your shoulder attitude?
Are you not intending never to do another days work or remotely take an interest in the well being of your attached unit, ever?
Can you sneer and snarl every time a T.A. soldier comes within 5 metres of you or has the nerve to ask you for something out of your store that, yes, actually they do need?

Answer yes to all of the above??? Then congratulations you have the NERPS job sewn up. Now all you have to do is sit on your fat back-side until retirement day!